Asylum seekers lose legal bid in lock change row

12 April 2019, 15:06

A judge has dismissed a legal challenge brought by asylum seekers at the centre of an eviction row in Glasgow.

Accommodation provider Serco announced plans to issue lock-change notices to tenants refused refugee status last July.

The Home Office contractor said it was forced to act after paying for housing for up to 300 asylum seekers in Glasgow who had been denied the right to remain in the UK.

Two women - a Kurdish Iraqi national and a Kurdish Iranian - launched a legal challenge against Serco and the Home Secretary, arguing their eviction would be unlawful without a court order.

On Friday, Court of Session judge Lord Tyre ruled the arguments were not sound and dismissed the cases.

He said in the judgment: "I am not persuaded that there is anything in either of the pursuers' cases requiring proof before answer.

"On the contrary I am satisfied that neither of the pursuers has made out a relevant case for any of the orders sought."

It was revealed in January that Serco had lost the Home Office contract in Scotland, which will be delivered by Mears Group after September.